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The Messier War (West patagonian-alicantian garrison war) is a conflict taking place in the Patagonia (South America, Earth). It is considered in West Patagonia is the final liberation war from the alicante land ties, originated in the early treaties made with that nation 10 years before.
It started december 2nd of the year 11 a.R. (After the (West Patagonian) Revolution), with the operation codenamed Death Rain, after the execution of the arranged treaty with Old Volantia (the Alicante Capital) for a mediation with the garrison failed.
Lead-up to the conflict[]
As soon as West Patagonia liberated itself in the Second Aberolian Civil War (also called "Revolución Definitiva" or Definite Revolution), the counting of years for that country started. A year later, wich was a chaos in public organization, the country elected Martín Beckdorf as Praetor, later evolving the office to Consul (Praetor being left for court managment). The Consul engaged in several agreements in search for recognition. When the knowledge of Alicantian rule over the land reached the ears of the Consul, the fate of West Patagonia was left to the negociation made with that Nation.
The Treaty of Isla Riesco, between West Patagonia and Alicante, agreed that the new nation would allow the existance of a garrison in the Chatham, Hanover, Riesco, Prat and Campana Islands. Patagonian interpretations of the treaty stablished that the territory was considered west patagonian sobereignty, with a right of usage given to the garrisons. The treaty stablished that the garrisons would last until West Patagonia was able to defend such territory. Also, previous negociations even stablished the forces present in such places (about 1.5 million effectives were stipulated). Later interpretations held that once West Patagonia reached this number of military effectives, it would be capable of fullfilling the task of the Garrison.
After the lost of contact with Alicante in 4 a.R. West Patagonia allowed the garrisons to exist. The religious conflict that existed in the territory, leading to the Definite Revolution, and the following civil wars, implied the military usage of the island´s air space. By 10 a.R. the Garrison settled and air block around the island. After further negociations, the air blockade was accepted, while the operations leading to the West Patagonian Second Civil War happened. However, the conflict was eventually over and a series of tensions raised, as West Patagonia demanded not only the lift of the Air Blockade, but also the withdrawal of the Garrison from the islands.
The contact sustained with Alicante, based in the planet Old Volantia, lead to negociations with such government and the sign of the Freedomhold Treaty. The Garrison would serve alicantian purposes in a conflict to come in Earth, that happened days after in the Pacific against Alexonya. However, due to the Causus Belli, international opinion went against Alicante, causing it´s surrunder, internal crisis and eventual collapse of the government. Old Volantia was never able to complete the treaty and the government of West Patagonia had no possibility but to defend the national sobereignty and honour by declaring war against the Garrisons.
Operation Death Rain.[]
Peace talks were quite short. West Patagonia limited itself to demand the surrunder of the Garrison, while the comander, Jonathan Stokeworth, insulted the nation, thus condemning it´s people to war.
The military had been possitioned around the islands for months, waiting for the diplomatic crisis to come into an end. By December 2nd, the executive authorization was given. A group of Gf Bm 46.03 had been movilized to the spaceships orbiting West Patagonia on Low Orbit (AEPO Carrera, AEPO Higueras, AEPO Ventisquero, AEPO Morado) and were then prepared for the opening operation.
The plannifiers of the military operation had stablished that the space fleet (numbered at 497 units) was the main danger. The Messier Crisis had shown that there were enemy allies in the Sol system able to support the Garrisons. The arrival of such force to Earth would mean the end of West Patagonis´s hope for total freedom. Only a clear defeat of the Garrison´s fleet would be able to demoralize the allies and force them back before reaching Earth.
Operation Death Rain was the codename for the opening fires. at 02:01 am, the Gf Bm 46.03 were launched and made a dive attack against the Garrisoned Fleet, that was already aware of the attack. The operation was the first usage of the Corvo Missile and managed to neutralize 42 ships.
This operation was almost flawless, few planes were destroyed and an airbattle took place the next hours.
During the few next hours, the aircraft carriers located in the Pacific near the coast launched the airraids that would mark the first day of engagements. Overall, the FAPO and the APO Air Branch managed a good result, able to withstand the Kembra Fighters.
December 2nd[]
The Air raids marked the day, with attacks against Riesco, Campana and Chatham. The most outstanding battles took place at Isla Riesco, Isla Caning, Isla Campana and Puerto Natales.
In the Northern Theater of Operations (Teatro de Operaciones Norte, TON) the battle was pretty much a siege battle, were snipers and artillery marked the life and death of both defenders and attackers. The Souther Ice Field became the base for artillery. The ARCHER Artillery System was tested, but due to range aspects, had to be moved to the Messier Channel. In the south, the situation was alike, with troops being sheltered at the Ice Field and a blockade from all sides towards Chatham and Hanover.
However, a critical front was opened. Even after the attack against the space fleet, the Garrison managed to put units in orbit, forcing the AEPO fleet stationed to retreat after a heavy skirimish. PAC´s systems (surface-space artillery) opened fire from Riesco and allegelly from the Amazons. The metal slugs concentrated on AEPO Carrera, wich became heavylly damaged. Defensive systems became only and managed to deflect part of the damage. The fleet withdrawed to a safe location and exchanged slight fire with the standing garrisoned fleet.
December 3rd[]
Even when succesfull air raids had been made, no incursions on the islands were made. Due to the space bombardment dange, the EPO descided to reduce artillery fire in order to reduce detection from the space. Sniperfire marked the fight in the TON, while in the TOS (Souther Theater of Operations), the artillery started and an insursion was made against the Hanover Island from the south. Tanks and APCs moved through a bridge made by smalled islands, making a channel fight in that place.
In the Space, the battle now resumed with the arrival of the paroskan fleet. Formed by two main ships and several fighters and bombers, the battle became a intense version of the previous stage, with intence long range artillery exchange. The PAC´s fire was now being succesfully deflected by magnetic spray systems, aligned with the National Database systems. However, due to the intense fire, the AEPO Carrera exploded in space.
Due to the space situation, new air raids were called in order to take out most PAC´s batteries. Codenamed Operation Smokescreen, it involved a huge air contingent from APO Hielo and APO Fuego del Oeste aircraft carriers. The attack was against Isla Riesco and managed huge results against the PAC´s.
By nightfall, the air prescence of the Garrison in West Patagonia had increased, after the Kembra forces became fully operational.
December 4th[]
By 00:07 am, paratroopers landed around Tortel. About 15000 men are calculated to be in the area. Considered of heavy importance, the EPO had already stationed soldiers in that town. After the first engagements started there at 03:14 am, the garrison of Tortel called Puerto Carrera for reinforcements in order to cut off such forces from the mainland, However, it was a fact that the garrison had reached the continent.
Parachute Operations also took place in Perito Moreno and Yelcho. However, no greater engagements have been started there yet.
In the rest of the fronts the battle became a constant fire across channels. In Hanover, the tank battle reached the sight of the Hanover Islands, being able to pass shot the defenses.
In Space, the Patagonian Fleet ordered retreat, using the Earthps Curve to cover the retreat and control recieved fire, while being able to fire against the enemy when desired. The Garrison Fleet made a persue that left the flanks opened. Space Sting Operations were executed ("Operación Navarro"), managing to destroy 35 space ships with no losses by the FAPO.
By 11:45 am, Situation Omega had been reached (the space superiority of the Garrison Fleet) iniciating the meassures to protect civilians and military personel.
In the cities, it meant taking most civilians to the fields, scattering the population throught planned distributions. The Government has been moved to a secret location and operates with full coordination of the miliatry.
In the front, the military personel has taken cover from bombardments. Although the EPO had managed to break into Prat Island and capture some Kembra Fighters, all advancements were abandoned and only 1000 men were stationed in Prat to prevent any retaking.
In the sea, most ships iniciated defensive protocols, having the magnetic sprays fully functional and detection systems using the whole of the resources. All air raids were called off. The ships moved to the garrison, in order to cause friendly fire chances. By now, the APO Otaegui, APO Lago Blanco and APO Puelche are engaging the Campana Garrisons from close distance.
International Possitions[]
The Valyrian Confederation that came into power after the fall of the Noble House of Freedomhold made no official stance about the situation.
The Royalist Kingdom has offered military support for West Patagonia and royalist military intelligence is supposedly give to West Patagonia.
Paros Ka has entered the conflict on behalf of West Patagonia by involving it´s space fleet.
Development[]
From the 4th, the aid granted by the PKF alloed the land, sea and air operations to be carried out without concearns from Space Bombardments. The 5th, the PKF ships stationed in the upper atmosphere above West Patagonia served as a shield, and were equiped with the necesary technology to be linked to the NDB.
Paratroopers of the Garrison carried out operations and captured three positions in the mainland. Perito Moreno was succesfully captured and served as a base to attack Puerto Carrera, the west patagonian capital city. The Battle of Perito Moreno was the first engagement between Civil Defense forces and foreign forces. Urban Operation Units were deployed, but failed to recapture the city. In Tortel, a battle finished with the splitting and destruction of the enemy forces by the South Stream Division, after having reinforcements from Puerto Carrera. In Lake Yelcho, the enemy forces were destroyed fast and the location recovered by the 8th.
The 7th the PKF Fleet moved into a defensive possition, giving coverage to the west patagonian maneuvers on ground. Meanwhile, the 1WPSF moved in order to scatter the garrison fleet out of possition. A series of skirimishes were iniciated because of this, known as the Ventisquero Campaign. National Database Systems were given to the PKF in order to have a better defence.
The 8th, the huge siege power against Chatham Island ended the defences there. The Battle of Chatham Island allowed the EPO to destroy any usable facility and capture thousands of garrisoned before pulling back the 9th.
That same day, the APO Fuego del Oeste aircraft carrier was hitted by space bombardments near the coast of Isla Riesco. APO Hielo moved inside a heavilly covered cove and there organized some defence. The Air raids against Riesco were called off.
The very 8th, the FAPO authorized a series of Air Raids against the enemy in Lake Yelcho. The operations included Corvo Missiles mounted in Gf Bm 46.02. By noon, the forces of Yelcho had earned back the Lake and captured several POWs. The rumours state that 12.000 prisoners were taken there. The Government officially informed they were taken into prisoner camps near Esquel. Neighbours of Yelcho and Esquel have reported executions of unknown people perpetrated by the military.
The 9th was lead by the garrisoned advance against Puerto Carrera from Perito Moreno. The force that had previously landed in Puerto Natales had withdrawn to Riesco and redirected to Perito Moreno, wich kept the reinforcements with a huge and powerfull air bridge.
The Battle of Lago Buenos Aires started that day with the defence of Puerto Carrera from the attacks from Perito Moreno. About 75.000 garrison troops were sent into the area, starting the shots at Lago Verde, in the northern shore of Lake Buenos Aires.
Due to the battle, the city of Puerto Carrera was evacuated and the infraestructure of the city was completelly advocated into military purposes. A civil outrage for the defence of the capital city was started then, leading to the massive Voluntary Flood of the 16th, 17th and 18th.
Puerto Carrera organized two diferent forces, a militia, formed by 10.000 citizens, and a naval militia force, formed by the 10th with 100 minor vessels, similar to the Azul Division of the APO.
The 10th opened with the attack of the Naval Militia of Lake Buenos Aires against the garrison forces of Lago Verde.
By 10 am, news about a political turmoul in Paros Ka had reached. The military authorities forsaw a "Situation Alpha" and rushhed to dig or reinforce holes, bunkers and hideouts all over the country. The Government evacuated Puerto Carrera and the Consul called all citizens to leave the cities and take the families to the fields.
By 1pm, the PKF splitted, leaving the half of it´s forces defending West Patagonia and the other back to Paros Ka. Situation Alpha had been reached.
Inmediatly, the situation got worse for the EPO. The Battle of Lago Buenos Aires started to go against West Patagonia and the defences withdrew back, step by step. In the Messier Channel, the EPO had to stay more cuatious and the garrisons could advance boldly against the EPO. The APO had to resume evassive maneuvers against the space bombardments.
In the south, the battle was stuck into siege battle from island to island.
The 11th the situation got worse.The General of the TON, Hernán Ramirez, was killed during an airraid against Little Wellington Island. That day, the situation in the Messier Channel and the TON turned into chaos, as ther garrison started to reach the Messier coast of Prat and invaded Serrano Island.
The space skirimishes of the 1WPSF were reasumed, but repelled short after with no takings from neither side. Meanwhile, the First New Moraleida Space Fleet (1NMSF) aproached the system. However, due to the garrison fleet reinforcements, the attack was called off.
The 12th and 13th were marked by the slow retreat of the EPO from Messier and 4 failed attempts in Chatham to invade. The 14th, the Campana Garrison attacked the eastern coast of the Messier. Until then, the situation was of an artillery superiority, but due to the new proximity of the garrison forces, the artillery fire was called off.
The Second Battle of the Messier Channel started the 11th until the 16th. It took 140.000 lives from both sides, still not accounted propperly.
The 14th, Air raids were reasumed against Chatham.
The 15th, a complete blackout of comunications started. It is believed the process started due to the overheat of the systems, however the authorities have not denied the possibility of an enemy plan to cause comunications cuts.
Without communications, the TON, out of commander, had to select a new comander. Mariano Osorio, brigadier of the Ice Duties, took the power of the TON and every West Patagonian Armed Forces within their range of comunications. This authority and title were given due to the incertainty respect the other elements of the Armed Forces.
Uncertain of the situation, the Battle of Lake Buenos Aires now was fought at the very city (some call it "Siege of Puerto Carrera"), the local governor, Rafael Bascuñan, organized the defence and protected the many buildings of the city. He even managed to defend the National Musseum from being taken, sacked and destroyed by the garrison forces.
The 16th was almost stuck in activity. By 7 pm, the Consul Adressed the Nation using a small window of emissions that was still able to be used, but failed shortly after. The message is considered as the start of the Great Voluntary Flood of the 16th, 17th and 18th. It has been declared that the number of volunteers ascended to 20.000.000 joung men and women. This caused an even deeper comunications blackout since the EPO soldier tends to be highly equiped with electronics systems. Electronics resources were already short and with the first hours of military integration, these resources were depleted. The EPO had to detour these volunteers to the APO and then to the FAPO, but all had these resources depleted. The EPo was divided in "professional" (having also military-electronic equipment) and non-professional (with lesser resources and training).
The 16th, the Galactic Republic of Alexzonya offerd help to West Patagonia through space superiority aid. This aid was accepted and inmediatly dispatched.
The 18th, the Battle of Lake Buenos Aires reached it´s climax with the fight in the streets of the Capital. The industrial sector was turned into a battlefield while the defenders tried to keep the Garrisoned Army away from the civic center and the scaping population.
Attacks were carried out by the preciously scattered Naval Militia against Peritio Moreno´s airfield.
In the TON, through the last days, Osorio had been preparing a plan to get over with the Second Battle of Messier. Operation Shadow Sythe was the codename of a series of deployments in Campana Island itself.
The Naval Engagement of the APO North Group against the Campana´s defenses from a close distance demostrated it was possible to carry out operations there. At 7 pm, the operation started with air drops over the Cabrales and Patricio Islands, at the pacific side of the Campana Island. Later, 40.000 soldiers were deployed in this area.
The effect was that by the 19th, the battle at the Messier channel was over. However it resumed later that day through the 20th. Using the small space of peace, Osorio was able to gather an army in Coihaique and aided the fighter of the Messier the 20th, ending the fight over the channel.
The 19th, the GRA Fleet enters the Sol system and joins the 1NMSF, engaging against the Garrosn Fleet and the Allied Fleet. The GRA Fleet carried tons of electronic resources to be used by the EPO.
The 20th, the new situation motivated the 1WPSF to reengage. Flying in lowest orbit, it entered from the north into West Patagoni and attacked fast many Campana Island´s possition. Then it moved south, protecting Puerto Carrera. This caused a massive movement of EPO forces. Messier was retaken and the Battle of Puerto Carrera was over soon after the shield made by the 1WPSF was created.
The Battle for space superiority over West Patagonia laster until the 22nd of december. With the electronic resources near, the Consul descided to use whatever of the remaining electronics was left to reestablish comunications. The Brigadier Mariano Osorio talked to the Consul and was removed from his possition as commander of the West Patagonian Armed Forces, however he kept his possition as TON commander.
In Lago Buenos Aires, the Garrosn Army of Perito Moreno withdrawed to this city, followed by the Defenders of Perito Moreno and elements of the EPO.
The same day, the Consul adressed the nation, iniciating a minor reflex of the Voluntary Flood. Shortly after, Perito Moreno was surrounded.
The 23th, the battle on Campana had taken the western coast of the Island.
The same day, Operation Javelin Throw was started.
Operation Javelin Throw.[]
The idea of the OJT is to give a death blow to the Garrison Forces by having perfect victories with total defeat of the enemy, forcing it´s surrunder.
Retaking of Perito Moreno[]
The first maneuver was carried out the 23th of december at 7:30 pm. The EPO 4th and 8th South Stream Batallions lead tthe assult on Perito Moreno. The city fell after 2:30 hours of combat and was guarded by the 4th Liberator Division (Formed from the Defenders of Perito Moreno)
The Assult over Campana[]
At 9pm, the operation was carried out in Campana, with the landing of over 50.000 Marines in the northern shore and more Jungle Services forces. The disembrak was unnoticed and an hour later the engagements started, joining those at the western side of the island.
The Assult over Prat[]
Half an hour before, the situation in the Messier Channel had gone red with the crossing of the channel to retake the Prat Island. A minor engagement was sustained before the defenders fled to the remaining bunkers on the western side of the island. The Ice Duties Division lead the attack on Prat.
The next day, by 10am, the fortress of the Prat Island was taken and the Ice Duties had atatcked the eastern coast of Campana.
The recovery of Campana[]
At the same time, the Channel Union became the place of a mayor engagement, since that place dominated the union between the north and the south of the island.
The battle of Union Channel took al day and only by the 25th it was broken. At 15 hours, the Main Fortress of Campana was surrounded.
The attack against thijs fortress was held until the sunrise of the 26th, when the Ice Duties arrived and coordinated an attack against the perimeter. This final assult was finished at the 13 hours.
The Siege of the TOS Islands.[]
With the news of the fall of Campana, the besiegers of the Chatham and Hanover Islands have doubled the attacks against the defenses, leaving the place reduced to a pile of smoking scrap, according to non.military witnesses.
Air raids were started the 27th during the first maneuvers of the day aiming to cross the channels. The attacks were against possible infraestructure defending from amphibious attacks.
West Patagonian authorities have stated that a moyor attack will take place soon.